Acetylene gas producing plant



Feb-28, 1939. H.' Graal-AMDTA l '2 5148935 v VACETYLENE GAS PRoDucING PLANT Filed May 27, 1955 2 shuts-snm 1 l f Patentedv Feb'. 28,1939

UNITED vs 'm'riss PATENT joFFlcE sommi oss mnuciNG mns-Gebhardt, Albllloagon May 21,

'- schim.

This invention relates to a device for producing acetylene gas.

Acetylene gas is required for numerous purposes, such as illumination, the operation of inotors, cutting and welding, and the device according to the invention produces large amounts thereof for any-length of time so as to have always fresh'gas available for use and avoidlarge accumulations of gas in case of service troubles,

10 which wouldl decrease in power during'storing. prior to use. Furthermore, the device according.

to the invention can be easily built into vehicles,

as required for' operating the motors thereof. v

'mation'of lslime which develops -in the known types of v`acetylene gasgenerating plants. This slime-is diilicult to remove from the generating plant and'requires special pits, etc. for storing. Residual carbide forming an almost dry powder can, on the other hand, easily be removed from the producer and advantageously utilized, for instance as fertilizer or in the manufacture of arti- In order to meet the conditions outlined above and continually to produce large quantities oi.' gas v 'by a device having small dimensions and little nweight, the invention 'provides thatthe container of the gas-generator is alternately connectedv with a'carrbide feeding and discharging device and is further provided with a knife rotating therein forstirring the carbide during gasication, the water required for gas generation being supplied v to the container by a conveyor in quantities preventing the formation of slime, or in the form of 4 By way of example, the invention is illustrated in the, accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a cross section of thegas generator taken on line I of Fig. 2; Fig.,2, a longitudinal section '50 thereof. taken-.on line 2,-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a

vcross section of the gear space of the gas generator andthe water pump taken on line 34 oi Fig. 2; Figqfi, a vertical axial section of the pump drive taken'onfiine'l--l oi' Fig. 3; Fig. 5. a cross section of thegear space showing the drive of 193s, seria N0. zam

Germany February 6, 1

the stirring knives and gasifying chambers; and Figs 6 and? are sectional views taken on line 1-1 of 2 and explaining the operation of the electing device.

Referring to the drawings. the acetylene gas is producedwithin the cylindrical casingl, both ends of which are closed airtight by the covers 2 and 3. The casing I contains a rotatable cylinder 4 withinwhich severalY gasifying cylinders 5 are arranged between the cylinder 4 and an inner cylinder 1. The cylinder '4' is shut oiLon both ends by the cover plates I0 and Il, the parts l, 5, 1, i0, i i forming a firm structure. At the .points where the gasiiying cylinders 5 touch the cylinder l they are provided with the charging slots l, whereas the outlet slots 9 are located at the points of contact between the gasifying cy1inders 5 and the inner cylinder 1.

An endless :en band s is placed around the outside of the cylinder I and guided only at the top where the carbide is lled in as will be explained below over a stationary charging duct 0I which with its lower enlarged edges B5 directly abuts against the outside of the cylinder I. The felt 'band 8 closes the charging slots 8 'except the top one through which iresh carbide is fed from the duct Bl to the gasii'ying cylinder 5 concerned.

The inner cylinder 1 surrounds a stationary casing I2 through which the shaft 2| extends on which the conveyor worm 15 is disposed. Between the casings 1 and i2 a felt layer 14 is provided which at the same point as the cylinder I2 possesses the passages 12 and 1I. These slotlike passages, however,are not arranged in the vertical central plane of the gas generating plant, but staggered about 35 relative to that plane uppositely to' the direction of rotation of the cylinder l, so that the outlet slots 9 of the gasifying cylinders l during rotation of the cylinder 4 and the parts connected therewith pass the slots 13 and 12 before the inlet slots '8'of the cylinders 5 permit the lling of the latter with fresh carbide through* the duct 8l. During the charging process the connection of the gasiiying cylinder 5 with the inside of the casing l2 must be completed,.as indicated in Fig. 1.

The casing l2 is rmly connected with the cover 2. The bearing surface between the boss i3-of the 'rotary cover I0 and the stationary casing I2 is slightly conical. In each gasiiying cylinder 5 a rotating bladeil is arranged and provided with a cutting Vedge which is moved along the inner wall of the cylinder 5 concerned to remove residual carbide adhering thereto. Each blade Il possesses several comblike prongs directed towards the axis` of rotation of the blade. The two journals of each stirring blade I4 are supported in the covers I5 and II by ball bearings protected against soiling by carbide particles by the stufiing boxes I5.

The stirring blades I4, the cylinder 4 and all parts firmly connected with the latter are driven the toothed wheel I8 which is loosely rotatably disposed on a bearing pin secured to the cover 3- and which is further rmly connected with the spur gear I8 which-rotates thetoothed wheel 2|)` firmly connected with the shaft 2|.. The gear ratio of the gear described is so chosen that the shaft 2| makes only 80 revolutions per minute as against 300 revolutions of the hollow shaft I1.

To the shaft 2 Il a spur wheel 22 is secured which is in mesh with the spur wheels 23, ohepof which is provided forv each of the live gasifying cylinders 5. Each spur wheel 23 is firmly connected with the journal of the stirring blade I4 arranged in the gasifying cylinder concerned, so that the blade carries out` about 100 revolutions per minuteand'thus insures thorough stirring of the calcium ,carbide in the cylinders 5.

To permit rotation of the cylinder 4 and the parts rmly connected therewith by means of the g'ear described, the cylinder 4 overlaps the cover I'I `for a relatively large distance. On the free edge of' this projecting cylinder portion an ,internal toothing 24 is.provided,within range of which a toothed wheel 25 is arranged having only one tooth, so that at each rotation thereof the -cylinder 4 is turned only slightly. The wheel 25 is loosely rotatably positioned on a pin 25 secured to the inside of the cover 3. 0n the hollowshaft-like boss of the wheel 25 the feed wheel 26 is secured `and engaged by the pawl 21 which i's disposed at the free end oi' the lever 28 movable about the pin 25. A side arm of the lever 28 is located within range oi.'l the cam disc 29 secured to the shaft 2|, so that at each rotation of the shaft l2| the feed wheel 25 is moved to the extent of one tooth and at each rotation of the wheel 25 the cylinder and all parts connected therewith are moved only a short distance, the arrangement being such that the cylinder 4 requires ten minutes to make a full rotation.

The water required for the decomposition of the carbide in the production of acetylene gas is drawn in through a firm orflexible conduit from a reservoir by means of a suction valve and the pump 4I (Figs. 3 and 4) and then introduced through the pressure valve 44 and the pressure piping 45 at the connection 35 (Fig. 2) into a bore of the cover 2 whence it passes into the bore 3| arranged in the boss I 3 of the rotary cover III and thence inte the duct in the conical part of the casing I2. From the duct 30 the pressure water flows through the conduit firmly connected with the boss I3 of the cover I0 to the spraying nozzles 45, one of which is provided for each gasifying cylinder5 and extends in the axial direction of the latter into the cylinder concerned. The general arrangement is so chosen that the water delivered from the pump under pressure is sprayed in a finely distributed state into a. gasifying, cylinder 5 after the latter has been lled with carbide while the. cylinder 4 is rotated about 60.

, the gasifying cylinders 5 are cooled. For this purpose, fresh cooling water, in a similar manner as l described above with respect to the water coming from the pump 4I, is introduced through bores provided partly in the boss I3 and partly inv the portion of the casing I2 surrounded thereby and through thebores 33 into the spaces 32 within the cylinder 4 between the cylinders 5. The heated water ows through the bores 34 out of the,A

spaces 32 and then through a discharge conduit, not shown, of the cover 2 4into the -reservoir or a cooling device.

The spraying nozzles 4II extend through the. journals of the knife edge I4 without, however, participating in the rotation of the latter.

Carbide is fed to the gasifying cylinders 5 by means of the charging casing 41, in the upper part of which a stop cock 48 is rotatably arranged by means of the shaft 50. To insure satisfactory arrangement of the cock 48 in the charging casing 41, it is surrounded by a steel bushing 49 provided with recesses for the passage of the carbide. To the free end of the shaft 50 the bevel'wheel 5I is attached which meshes with the bevel wheel 52,0n the shaft 53. The shaft 53 is rotated by means of the vane wheel 55 secured to the lower end of the shaft v53 and engaging the vane wheel or toothed segment 55 which is secured to the boss of the toothed wheel 25, the ratio of gearing being such that when a previously emptied gasifying cylinder 5 is disposed below the charging duct 64 and the superposed charging casing 41 the cock 48 will be temporarily closed and only opened again after the passage of the, measured quantity v of carbide kept in the casing v41 and the closing of the charging'slot 8. It is further possible to employ the cock 48 for measuring the amount of carbide needed for a gasifying operation and thus to dispense with the charging casing 41.

Below the cock 45 a guide plate 58 isarranged in the casing 41 and rotatable about the pin 59. On both sides the guide plate 58 has the walls 50 in which the `slots 5I are provided. -I nto the slots 5I extends the adjusting rod '62 carried by the adjusting r'od 53 which isguided in a projecting part of the casing 41. At its free end the rod 63 carries a head 58 against which the spring 65- abuts and pushes the rod 63 outwardly whereby the guide plate 58,is moved into lowermost position. .The head 68 hugs a cam 56 secured to the shaft 53 and adapted to move the plate 58 once` up and down at each rotation of the 'shaft 53, the

-guidev plate 58 being moved up every time the charging slot 8 of a gasifying chamber 5 is lo cated under the lling duct 54.

To supply carbide to the duct 54 a channel 61 is provided in the axial direction of the filling duct 54 near the felt strip 6. A corresponding channel may also be provided on the other side of the felt strip .6 and instead of a single inclined guide plate 58 two wallfaces disposed wedgelike to one another may be usedfor passing the carbidecoming from the cock 48 partly through the channel 51 and partly through its l companion channel on the otherside into the filling duct 64 whence it drops into the gasifying cylinder.

The -total arrangement i's such thatthe charging cock 45 is temporarily closed only when a charging opening 8 of a cylinder 4 is positioned below'ithe nlling duct 84, As the cylinder 4 revolves once in ten minutes and ive gasifying cylinders are provided, one of the latter will be newly illled Vevery two minutes, but the amount of carbide put in has ten minutes time for developing acetylene. gas. Since the gas is simultaneously generated in several cylinders, it can be .taken out of the generating plant described'ln a perfectly uniform stream.

The quantity of water required for complete utilization of a charge of cabide in a gasifying lcylinder is supplied in such fine distribution that the period of injection is approximately equal to one-fifth revolution of the cylinder 4 and therefore 'lasts about two minutes. By means of the v blades I4 the carbide and the injected water are thoroughly mixed, so that lall particles of the carbide are uniformly used for generating gas and the remaining hydrate of lime constitutes an almost dry powder. v

For removing this powder serves the casing I2 and the worm conveyor ilrmly connected with' -the shaft2I, and rotated by the latter within the casing I2. Every time oneoi the'outlet openings 9 of a' cylinder 5 is moved past the slot 12, 18 in the casing I2 and the surrounding felt ring 14,

the hydrate of lime formed in the respective .cyl-

.side of the casing I2 and the shaft 84 to prevent the useless escape of acetylene gas.

To open the valve 81 if suiilcient hydrate of lirne is collected in the shaft 84, it would be possible to have a piston move up and down in .the latter, but the invention provides the following device:

` In theopposite side walls of the discharging shaft 84 recesses 85 are provided into which the ejecting segments 82 are moved which are supported by two pins located outside the shaft 84.

These pins extend through the partition 11 in` which they are arranged and which is positioned in the casing 18' and carry, beyond this partition 11, the gear wheelsegments 8| which mesh with one another and are thus always moved to and fro in opposite directions. Each of the two rim segmentsfl is engaged by a toothed wheel 88, and between the two toothed wheels 88 and on the free end of the shaftA 2I a semi-circularrim segment 18 is so secured that during rotation of the shaft 2i it alternately engages one or the other of the two toothed Wheels 88. In this way the wheels 80, the rim segments 8I and the ejecting' segments 85 connected therewith are alternately moved to and fro, the segments 85, on extending into the discharging shaft 84 and striking the residual carbide therein, pressing the latter down, so that thevalve 81 will be opened and admit the discharge of a Acorresponding amount of hydrate'of lime.

The acetylene gas generated escapes through the slots 8 and the surrounding felt band 6 into the annular space formed between the cylinders I and 4, whence it ilows towards the discharge -cocks 89 provided on a ylateral cover plate 88 on which the pressure of the gas produced may also be measured by means of the gauge 8|. On passing through the felt band 8 the gases are puried. and entrained particles of carbide are retained.

` The impurities carried by the felt band 8 are removed by the scraper 18 on the filling duct 84 and drop into the latter whence they pass into one of the gasifying cylinders 5 and then into the discharge casing I2. y

The water carried along by the gas settles on the inside of the casing I and ilows into the 'collector 92 where it is removed bythe cock 93r lFor driving the movable parts of the acetylene gas generator described an internal combustion engine is preferably employed .which is operated by the acetylene gas produced and can .be started. with the aid of the gas remaining in theplant after stopping operation.

I claim:

1. An acetylene gas producer comprising a cylindrical casing,- a rotatable cylinder within said casing, a plurality of gasifying cylinders mounted in said rotatable cylinder, a discharge cylinder located centrally relative to the gasiifyin'g'cylin-v ders and adapted to receive the carbide residue, a carbide feeding device, and means for alternately connecting, the gasifying cylinders with the carbide feeding device and the discharge cylinder.

2. An acetylene gas producer according to claim '1, in which an endless felt band is provided between the casing and the rotatable cylinder and in which aligned openings are provided in each gasifying cylinder and the rotatable cylinder adjacent each gasifying cylinder, said felt band acting as a closure ,for the gasifying cylinders but permitting the generated acetylene gas topass therethrough.

3. An acetylene gas producer according to claim 1, in which a scraping blade is provided in each gasifying cylinder, and in which means is provided ,for rotating said blade in its cylinder to scrape the residual carbide from the sides of its cylinder.

4. An acetylene gas producer according to claim I l, ,in which means are provided to admit and force a cooling fluid into the rotatable cylinder and around each of the gasifying cylinders to cool said gasifying cylinders.

5. An acetylene gas producer comprising a cylindrical casing, a rotatable cylinder withinsaid casing, a plurality of 'gasifying cylinders mounted in said rotatable cylinder, a discharge cylinder 'located centrally relative to thegasifying cylinders, and adapted to receive the carbide residue,

a carbide feeding device, means for alternately connecting the gasifying cylinders with the carbide feeding device and the discharge cylinder,

each gasifying cylinder having two diametricallyysecond felt band between the discharge cylinder and the gasifying cylinders. A

6. An acetylene gas producer according to claim 1, in which a comb-like scraping blade is provided in each gasifying cylinder, and in which means is provided for rotating said blade in its cylinderto vscrape the residual carbide from the in/ the discharge cylinder to remove the carbide residue ltherefrom. i

' 8. AAn acetylene gas producer according to claim 5, in' which the' carbide feeding device includes a charging' du'ct of arched construction over which the first-mentioned felt band passes.

:incassa inder having an opening therein and adapted to g receive the carbide residue. a carbide feeding device. and means for alternately connecting the gasitying cylinder with the carbide feeding device andthe discharge cylinder by alternately cor.

necting one opening of the gasifying container with the opening in the rotatable cylinder to feed the carbide and connecting the other opening in the gasiiying container with the opening in the discharge device to discharge the carbide residue. 10

HANS cunaliimnfr.` 

